Electrical gas lighter and extinguisher



(No Model.)

G. L. HOGAN.

ELECTRICAL GAS LIGHTER AND EXTINGUISHER. No. 389,151. Patented Sept. 4, 1888.

I I Si if 1 1 I? 1: g Q T i g I \.9 L a p g WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS, Phaln-Lhhognbhlr, Wimin mn. v.1:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE LEVIS HOGAN, OF OLMSTEAD, KENTUCKY.

ELECTRlCAL GAS LIGHTER AND EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,151, dated September 4, 1888.

Application filed February 18, 1888. Serial No. 264,449. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that LGEoRoE LEwIs llooamol" Olmstead, in the county of Logan and State of Kentucky,have invented a new and Improved Electric Gas Lighter and Extinguisher, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part thereof, in which- Figure l is a vertical transverse section of my improved gas lighter and extinguisher. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line was in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3 y in Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

The object of my invention is to provide a gas lighter and extinguisher in which the turning on and shutting oft of the gas will be effected by the heating action of the current,and in which the gas will be ignited by an incandescent wire.

My invention consists in the combination, with a gasburner, of two cylinders provided with pistons and containing mercury, electrical conductors passing through the mercury, but

electrically insulated therefrom by heat-cow,

ducting material, and a spring-valve held open by a spring-actuated cateh-lever,the mercurycylinders being arranged so that the expansion of the mercury in one cylinder will open the spring-valve, while the expansion of the mercury in the other cylinder will release the spring-valve and allow it to close.

It also further consists in the combination, with the mercury-cylinders, of an igniting-wire adapted to be heated by the current to a sufficient degree to ignite the gas, all as hereinafter more fully described.

The casing A, which contains the working mechanism of the burner, is provided at its lower end with a eollar,a,for shutting the gassupply pipe, and a burner, b, of the ordinary construction, is inserted in the top of the easing. Two cylinders, B C, are secured to the inner surface of the top of the casing. The cylinder 0 is reduced in diameter at its lower end and provided with a piston, 0, having a rod, (1, extending downward and resting upon the Ushaped spring 6. One end of the U- shaped spring e is attached to the bottom of the casing A, and to the free end of the said spring c is attached a valve rod,j',which passes through an opening,g, into the collar a, where it is provided with a valve, h, adapted to close the opening {1 when the spring 6 is released. Opposite the free end of the spring c, in cars projecting upward from the bottom of the easing A, is pivoteda right-angled catch-lever,2', which is forced into engagement with the free end of the spring 0 by the spiral springj,resting upon the bottom of the casingAand tending to press the horizontal arm of the catch '6 upward.

The cylinder B is reduced in diameter at its lower end and provided with a piston, c, having a rod, (1, which rests upon the horizontal arm of the catch-lever In the side of the cylinder 0 is inserted a binding-post, 70, from which a wire, Z, extends through the mercury and upward toward the top of the burner 11. The said Wire Z, within the cylinder 0, is inclosed in electrical insulating material an. In like manner a binding-post, k, is inserted in the side of the cylinder B, and the conductor Z extends from the said binding-post through the said cylinder, and is inclosed within the cylinder in the electrical insulating material m. The wires ZZ are provided with clamps n n, which receive the ends of a looped platinum wire, 0, which is supported by the said clamps near the tip of the burner b.

In the bottom of the casing A are inserted three binding-posts,D E F. The binding-post F communicates electrically with the bindingpost 70 by the wire 1). The binding'post E communicates electrically with the clamp n by the wire q, and the binding-post D communicates electrically with the binding-post 7.1 by the wire 1'.

Three conductors, 5 Z u, are required for operating my improved burner. \Vhen it is de sired to turn on the gas, the current is sent through the conductor a, binding post F, through the wire 1), binding-post k, wire Z, platinum wire 0, wire (1, binding-post E, and wire t,back to the generator. The heating effect of the wire Z within the cylinder 0 expands the body of mercury surrounding the insulation m of the said wire and presses the piston c downward,thereloy opening the valve h. When the valve h is fully opened, the end of the spring e is caught by the catch lever i and held. The current in flowing through the platinum wire 0 beats the wire and ignites the gas.

When it is desired to extinguish the gas,the current is sent through the wires 8 6, thereby heating the wire Z in the cylinder B, expanding the body of mercury contained by the said cylinder, pushing down the piston 0, thus causing the piston-rod d to press on the horizontal arm of the catch-lever i, turning the lever so as to release the spring a, when the said spring closes the valve h.

Having thus described my invention,l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- V 1. In an electric gaslighter and extinguisher, the eombination,with the gas-valve, of a spring adapted to close the valve, a cylinder containing mercury and provided with a piston adapted to act upon the closing-spring of the valve, and an electrical heating device for heating the mercury in the cylinder, substantially as described.

2. In an electric gas lighter and extinguisher, the combination, with the valve-opening spring, of a catch-lever adapted to hold the valve open, a cylinder containing mercury and provided with a piston arranged to act upon the eatch-lever,and an electric conductor adapted to heat the mercury and cause it to expand so as to release the catch-lever, substantially as described.

3. In an electricgas lighterand extinguisher, the combination of the casing A, the gas-supply valve h,the U-shaped spring 0, the springactuated catch-lever z, the mercury-cylinders C B, provided with pistons c c, the wires Z Z, the clamps n n, the platinum wire 0, and the electrical connections, substantially as described.

GEO. LEWIS HOGAN.

\Vitnesses:

WM. EDMUNDS, M. J. INGRAM. 

